By the final round of group games, Euro 88 was effectively a six-team tournament. Denmark and England were already eliminated and barely had any pride left to play for.
Group A was concluded with simultaneous games on Friday night, just a week – and a lifetime – after the tournament had begun. Italy, who many felt had been the best team in the tournament to date, needed only a draw against Denmark to guarantee qualification.
The hosts West Germany played Spain in Munich, with the likelihood that the semi-finals wouldn’t be big enough for both of them. West Germany needed a draw, Spain a win – just as at the same stage of Euro 84, when Antonio Maceda’s last-minute winner stunned everyone.
Group B was settled the following afternoon, with the BBC deciding to show Republic of Ireland’s decisive match against the Netherlands instead of England v USSR. On the entirely reasonable assumption that a collectively depressed England wouldn’t win that game, Ireland knew they needed a draw to continue their fairytale. The Netherlands had no such luxury; if they didn’t win, they were almost going home.
Gary, Martyn and Rob chat about Dutch desperation, the emerging Rudi Voller/Jurgen Klinsmann partnership, Steve McMahon’s ill-conceived reducer and Bryan Robson chinning Peter Shilton during a drunken tournament debrief.
Oh, and Rob’s dog Margot makes an unscripted appearance.
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